Compare towns
Brewer vs Dedham vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dedham has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Brewer | Dedham | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,652Highest |
1,656Lowest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
47.2±8.4Highest 5% above ME |
| Pownal and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pownal and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Pownal and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
49% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
| Dedham and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
$436,800±$32kHighest 47% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
| Dedham and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
$3,942 30% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #32 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Brewer Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Brewer High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.